Argumentative Essay On Skin Cancer

If you're like most parents, you slather your kids with sun block the moment they set foot on the beach. After all, one out of five Americans will develop skin cancer from accumulated sun damage, and you want to protect your kids' future health. You're doing the right thing, but if you don't protect your kids' skin while they're riding in the car, you may not be doing enough. Unfortunately, the sun dishes out more than one type of ray. UVB rays are the culprits that cause sunburn and blistering, but UVA rays are more insidious. They produce cumulative, long-term cell damage that's not immediately noticeable. While car windshields may block UVB rays, they don't prevent UVA rays from causing slow, almost imperceptible damage throughout life. They increase the risk of skin cancer and accelerate aging.

Is There Any Proof?

If the idea of sun damage while driving or riding seems preposterous to you, consider the statistics. U.S. drivers have a higher rate of skin cancer on their left side, which happens to be the side that receives the most sun exposure while driving. If you need visual confirmation, consider the case of Bill McElligott, a truck driver whose face displays marked signs of aging on the left side due to UV rays coming through his truck window. Your kids won't get a …show more content…
Applying sun block is an obvious short-term solution, but few people have time to stop and apply lotion before every outing. A more effective and permanent solution is to have your car windows treated so that UVA rays can't get through. Window tinting and sun-proof window films that block almost all of the sun's rays are available; there are even specialized products for use in areas that don't allow dark tints on car windows. Instead of keeping your kids covered in chemical-laden lotions every day of the year, make your car the guardian that protects their skin